Metallic constructions monitoring and assessment in unstable zones of the earth's crust

Abstract

A method for discovering, identifying, and monitoring of mechanical defects in a ferromagnetic underground or underwater structure. A magnetic scanner portable device is used to inspect the ferromagnetic underground structure and identify at least one portion with a magnetic field anomaly. Sets of permanent magnetic scanner sensors to monitor the magnetic field anomaly are placed adjacent to the at least one portion of the underground structure. A calculation unit, coupled to the sets of permanent magnetic scanner sensors is used to collect and process data. A stress-deformed state (SDS) and a risk-factor (RF) of the at least one portion with the magnetic field anomaly is presented on a display unit, which is coupled to the calculation unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for discovering, identification, and monitoring of mechanical defects in a ferromagnetic underground or underwater structure, comprising:
 providing at least one portable magnetic scanner device; 
 providing a ferromagnetic structure having at least one portion; 
 inspecting the ferromagnetic structure to identify at least one portion with a magnetic field anomaly, wherein the underground structure is first inspected using the at least one portable magnetic scanner device; 
 providing at least one set of additional permanent magnetic sensors to subsequently monitor the at least one portion with the magnetic field anomaly; 
 placing the at least one set of permanent magnetic sensors adjacent to the at least one portion with the magnetic field anomaly, wherein the at least one set of permanent magnetic sensors is coupled to a calculation unit; 
 collecting data provided by the at least one set of permanent magnetic sensors; 
 processing the data with the calculation unit; and 
 displaying on a display unit a stress-deformed state and a risk-factor of the stress-deformed state according to a material tension concentration of the at least one portion with the magnetic field anomaly, 
 wherein the display unit is coupled to the calculation unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein sensors of the at least one set of additional permanent magnetic sensors are placed in a watertight packaging. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of additional permanent magnetic sensors is coupled to the calculation unit wirelessly. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of additional permanent magnetic sensors provide data for the calculation unit at a discrete time with an interval of no more than about one hour. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the display unit comprises lights on a front panel, the display unit being configured to display a stress-deformed state (SDS) and a risk-factor (RF) of the at least one portion with the magnetic field anomaly. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , comprising at least two sets of additional permanent magnetic sensors, each set including at least three sensors. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one portable magnetic scanner device includes at least three sensors. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of additional permanent magnetic sensors is placed in contact with the at least one portion with the magnetic field anomaly. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of additional permanent magnetic sensors is separated by a gap from the at least one portion with the magnetic field anomaly. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the gap is less than about 50 meters. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the gap is less than about 20 cm. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising comparing signals from the at least one portable magnetic scanner device with signals from the at least one set of additional permanent magnetic sensors to produce a set of calibration coefficients. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said display unit provides a 3-D representation of a density of magnetic field strength distribution, found defects, and said risk-factors, together with a topological 3-D map of the structure.